Sen. Maynard's status

Monday marked three weeks since Sen. Andrew Maynard suffered a severe head injury in a fall outside his home in Stonington. He has remained at Rhode Island Hospital since.

The degree of Sen. Maynard's brain injury remains a subject of speculation and rumors, many of them contradictory. Sen. Maynard's extended family - he is not married and has no children - has provided minimal information, with the Senate Democrats' office in Hartford acting as the conduit for their statements.

Most recently, on Aug. 4, the senator's sister, Denise Mahoney, referenced her brother's exemplary care, said he remained in stable condition and expressed confidence in a "positive recovery."

The family's desire for privacy is understandable. We join them and the public in hoping that Sen. Maynard has a swift and full recovery. However, Sen. Maynard is very much a public figure, one of only 36 state senators in Connecticut and the deputy majority leader. His district represents a large area - Griswold, Groton, North Stonington, Plainfield, Preston, Sterling, Stonington and Voluntown.

The constituents who elected Sen. Maynard deserve to know more about his status and the prospects for when he may be able to represent them and provide direct constituent service. The expectations for disclosure are different when someone runs for elected office. Sen. Maynard knew that when he sought the office.

Even now, supporters continue to seek donations to make the senator eligible to obtain $93,690 in public financing to run a campaign. But can he run a viable campaign or viably serve if elected? The public has no idea.

Did Sen. Maynard suffer a Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) and, if so, did doctors classify it as mild, moderate or severe? What is the senator's prognosis? Is he conscious? Can he communicate?

This is not prying, this is seeking the basic facts about the senator's status and his prospects for effectively serving those who elected him to office and are being asked to do so again.